At a young age, Darwin Perez has already learned many important life lessons, among them that perseverance and guidance from good mentors will help him overcome adversity. Perez, 18, graduated from Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High and is one of 16 students to win a fully prepaid college scholarship from the Carnival Foundation. His journey to scholastic success began in the Overtown neighborhood of Miami, where he attended the Paul...

The school board of Miami-Dade County approved reopening plans Wednesday during a virtual meeting. Parents are offered a choice between sending their children back to school or continue learning from home in 2020 - 2021.Classes will resume Aug. 24, though many practical decisions have yet to be made, officials said, as the public health crisis surrounding the coronavirus outbreak continues.“The greatest challenge is unpredictability,”...

St. Thomas University signed several athletes for its inaugural wrestling team, including Barbara Goleman Senior High’s Maximo Fernandez and Mater Lakes Academy’s Reynaldo Rivera. Fernandez plans to enroll in the school’s sports administration program. Rivera plans to study nursing. St. Thomas coach Jake Patacsil announced both signings in recent weeks. Rivera was a district finalist as a sophomore and junior, and as a senior...

When Christa Curry was very young, her mother worried that her only child might grow up to be spoiled or entitled. Instead, Christa, 16, who will be a junior at Barbara Goleman Senior High School in the fall, has grown up to become a selfless young lady. The United Way of Miami-Dade recognized the Miami Gardens teen with its Outstanding Youth Award, for “enhancing the quality of life for many homeless women and their children, by...

Gabriel Perez plays several instruments and has used music to support impoverished classmates and to brighten the lives of elders, children and the community with his performances. The judges of the 62nd Annual Silver Knight Awards recognized the 18-year-old’s efforts on behalf of others. What put Perez, who graduated from Hialeah Gardens Senior High, in the spotlight was his community service, which included performing for dementia...